Cooly Fooly
by Mabase
Summary: Shinchu Sakuso has big shoes to fill, considering he's the son of America's favorite foreign Top Brass. The son of Detective Brass, Shinchu had never really intended on becoming a hero. The idea of being away from his family and their problems destroyed him. But what if that opportunity solved itself? If his sole inhibition was gone... then he didn't have much to lose. OC-Centric
1. October 26, 20XX

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

 **Prologue I:** Shinchu Sakuso: Origins

* * *

Sakuso leaned back in his chair, his school bag resting comfortably on his lap. He flipped a five yen coin between his fingers, his fingers matching the same smooth ridges. Streamers and confetti littered the hallways, the cultural festival in full swing.

"Eiji," Sakuso said, turning to his dark haired friend. "We've been sitting here for the past… twenty minutes? Isn't there something else you want to do aside from eat `Russian Takoyaki`?"

"No," came his swift reply. "From what I've heard, being able to handle the extremely spicy one is the ultimate challenge of bravery! If I can eat that without faltering, I could surely stand up to a villain, couldn't I?"

"Those two things have exactly no correlation to each other," Sakuso mumbled, flicking the coin forward to hit his friend in the forehead. Kirishima yelped in pain, rubbing his forehead. "Besides, what if the odds become stacked against you one day?"

"Well, you'd be there too, wouldn't you?" Kirishima said. He turned to the pink-skinned girl in the maid costume, nodding towards here. "Thank you Miss."

"No need for Miss," she said, cheerily. "It makes me sound old!"

"What should I call you then?" Kirishima said, a toothpick biting into the takoyaki.

"Ashido-kun is fine," she said, smiling. "Though, you probably won't make much use of it. You're in 3-D, yeah?"

"Mhm," Kirishima mumbled.

She turned to Sakuso, "And you're in…?"

"I don't go to school here," he said, holding a takoyaki above the plate. "Eijirou is a neighbor and friend. I've known him since preschool."

"How'd you meet-"

"Mina!" a girl shouted, swinging the classroom door open. "We need you back in here! You can talk to those losers later!"

"Well," she said, nodding. "That's my cue. I'm in 3-E by the way."

"Not that I'll make much use of it," Sakuso mumbled.

"What was that?" she said.

"I said you look _great_ in a maid uniform!"

She stuck her tongue out. "Perv."

" _Racoon-eyes."_

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he said, giving a shrug. "I said this takoyaki is bursting with love."

"Well of course it is," Mina said, a smirk on her face. She placed a hand on her heart, "I served it after-"

"Mina!"

"Coming!"

"Wow Eiji," Sakuso said, turning to his friend. "You have some interesting schoolmates. Makes me-"

His face was red, sweat beading down his brow and dripping from his hair. "H… elp me."

Sakuso reached into his bag, grabbing a bottle of Pocari Sweat. "What the hell? Are you having an allergic reaction to squid?"

"Spi...cy," he mumbled, clutching his stomach.

 _This is why no one eats `Russian Takoyaki` you brave dolt._

"I thought you wouldn't crack under the pressure, _Kirishima,_ " Sakuso said, uncapping the bottle. He placed it on the table, in the middle between him and Kirishima. "You're supposed to be the kind of hero that doesn't crack under pressure, right?"

"This is-"

"No. That's an excuse," Sakuso said, his fist crashing down on the table. "Eat another takoyaki to take your mind off the spice, and endure what you inflicted on yourself. I refuse to allow someone who lets spice become their end become a hero."

Kirishima grinned, his teeth becoming jagged as he tore into another takoyaki. "Endure and survive," he muttered, gulping down air. "Ultimate bravery."

 _I love you man, but goddamn are you impressionable._ "Yeah," Sakuso said, pumping his fist. "A super cool hero that doesn't waver under pressure. The ultimate shield and spear."

"You're singin' my praise, but not your own," Kirishima said, taking a sip of Pocari Sweat. "I mean, aren't you going to be a hero too? Follow in your dad's footsteps kinda thing?"

"I didn't plan on it. I don't want to become the kind of man my father is."

"Come on," Kirishima said, nudging my shoulder. "You can't be mad at him for saving people."

"And I'm not," Sakuso defended, his hands turning to brass. His knuckles and elbows were capped with silver, allowing him to spew air from out of them as if he were an instrument. "I'm upset because he's never around. Selfish as it may be, I'm upset because he's never around."

Kirishima's elbow landed on the table, his head resting on his hand. "And what would you do if he was here right now?"

"Are you even listening?" Sakuso said, sighing. "I'd just say that I'd rather have him around for me than doing this or that in America. I understand that mom's from there and he wanted to keep an eye on her but California is safe right now… I think. I just want him around. I hate being alone."

"Just call me," his dad said, a hand resting on Sakuso's shoulder. "I always have time for you."

"Detective Sax!" Kirishima said.

The detective brought Sakuso into a hug, rubbing circles on his son's back. "If you wanted me around, all you had to do was ask. I've been busy in America sure, but it happens. I had a hand in stopping the creation of some super mutant hell-bent on destruction. With help, of course."

"By the way," Detective Dad said, pulling away from his son. "I packed your things from that apartment. I think I got everything important. We're moving after today. I'll explain everything else in the car. I'll leave you to it for now."

"A-Alright?" Sakuso said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, and Kirishima!" Detective Sax said, smiling.

"Yes, Detective?" Kirishima asked.

"Oh, no need for that," Detective Sax said. "Shinchu-san is fine. I just wanted to thank you for being my son's friend through all these years."

The older man tipped his hat, his large brass arm gleaming in the light. "There's two more hours for the festival. Enjoy them. I'll be waiting in the car."

Sakuso's neck snapped towards Kirishima with frightening speed. "I've gotta go!" he turned back towards his dad, lunging towards him, "Dad, wait!"

\- /KN/ -

Somehow, his father's hulking form fitting into a tiny car didn't make sense.

But the detective managed to work with it.

"So… you're done being a hero?" Sakuso asked, leaning back in his chair. "You don't have to quit doing something that makes you happy for my sake. I'm not that selfish."

"I'm not done," Shinchu-san said, rubbing Sakuso's head with a large brass hand. "I'm taking a break. What I did in America would be called emotionally and physically exhausted. Besides, I've gotten two new jobs here, so let's enjoy them to the fullest."

"Oh? Wouldn't two jobs mean I see you just as less, though?"

"No," Shinchu-san said, smiling. "I'm dropping you off back home to pick up whatever I missed. Afterwards, we're taking the car to Jugen-Jaya. I'm starting my own cafe."

"Do you even know the first thing about starting a cafe?"

"Nope."

Sakuso stared at his father in bewilderment. The man could be obtuse, and largely playing an idiot was part of his skill as a detective. His true personality was methodical, calculating. Someone that could pick you apart with words and then blow you away before you could realize it.

His form belied his speed.

His facade hid the truth.

There was a reason why he was the best of the best detectives.

"But, that doesn't mean I can't try, no? Cafe Lupin has a nice name to it, don't you think? I'll have you there too, to run it with me. It'll be neat."

Sakuso could picture the smell of coffee, and it made him feel more at ease than he thought it would. His home didn't smell like it himself, but with his dad around he could suddenly picture that.

"And what's the second one?"

"I'll be a hero-on-call for U.A. Academy. Impressive, huh?"

"I… guess?"

"Sakuso," Shinchu-san said, his eyes focused on the quiet street. "What do you want to do when you're older?"

"I… I don't know."

"Y'know, there's a phrase my dad taught me. He was in the American Navy, on standby here. He's the reason for your darker skin, and your curly hair. He told me, `You miss ninety-percent of the shots you don't take`. It might not appeal to you now, but now that I'm back, is there anything stopping you from being a hero? You and Kaminari discussed it frequently, but hearing you say you didn't want to be like me really broke my heart."

"It's… not like that."

"Oh, I'm not trying to guilt you, silly. It broke my heart, but… dead men are a lot harder to carry than broken hearts. So, hearing you say that made me realize that I honestly hope you don't follow the path I chose. Being like me doesn't entail you make the same decisions I do. I want you to be the kind of man your grandfather is, someone with a pure and undisputable sense of justice. Someone that believes in their own sense of justice and virtue. I want you to be you, and I think you can do it without pursuing law enforcement and police-work. It's boring, so much so that becoming a hero and a detective was the best decision of my life. I got to save people, keep them safe, and became a name that left villains and evildoers quaking in their boots."

"But that's in America, dad. It's different here. Don't you think Japan would need you too?"

"Japan's top ten heroes are strong, and the heroes that complete graduation every year only bolsters their ranks. Japan could do without Detective Sax. I need to be a good house husband for Suzy, and more importantly," he flicked Sakuso's nose lightly, the boy rubbing it in mock pain. "A good father figure for my kid."

"Well, do I even have time to learn? I know the applications of my quirk, but aren't we vastly too different for you to train me? I mean, your quirk and combat style all compliment your arsenal of jazzy and brass weapons. I can take on the properties of metals and manipulate what I change the properties of, but could I even learn in that time?"

"Well, it's October 23rd, right now. Applications for U.A are due January, and the Entrance Exam begins the last week of March. Sure, my manipulation of solely brass is different than you taking on properties and manipulating them, but I think I can work around that. Most people call me outdated, but my father always said-"

"With age comes experience?"

"Yeah. See, you're learning already!"

"So… I'll be a hero. The kind of hero that sticks to his own justice. Someone that follows my own sense of justice. A pillar for the people."

"That's the spirit. A popular term heroes use for this moment, from when their mind is set, is called a `Starting Line.` What do you think?"

"No."

"No?"

"This is far from _my_ starting line. This is the beginning of Seigi, the Shining Fist of Justice. The crushing blow from heaven that rains down thunderous strikes upon villains and evildoers. A paragon of justice. The embodiment of sticking to one's guns. A hot-blooded hero that saves everyone in an instant, and blows away his enemies within seconds.""

" _Really?_ " Shinchu-san said, a smile hiding behind his collar. "I'm excited to see what he has to offer to the world. I'll be there to see him every step of the way. Though-"

" _Though?_ "

"Maybe Seigi is just enough?"

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **No words to really explain, other than, after experimenting with my writing and pacing myself and my stories, I think I could do leaps and bounds better than I did with my first two attempts. Taking a much-needed break was all I had to do, and well, I'm enjoying writing far more than I thought I once would.**

 **Meet Shinchu Sakuso (Family Name/First Name). His name translates, albeit roughly, to Brass Sax.**

 **He's the protagonist who can take on the properties of metal, and shape what he takes the properties of. There's a lot of ways it can be applied, but his primary gimmick is brass. There's a plethora of brass, and all the ways it can be shaped, manipulated and used, as well as the kinds of brass, are all exciting thoughts for me.**

 **His father is a reference to Big Band, whom has become one of my favorite characters from Skullgirls recently. He's great, the references he makes are great, and I have a joyous time writing him, or someone like him rather.**

 **Shinchu Sakuso is partially African-American, partially Japanese, and partially Hawaiian. Detective Sax/Shinchu-san provides the African-American and Japanese, with Sakuso's mom, who has not been named yet, providing the Hawaiian.**

 **I hope to write a story you all enjoy.**

 **Thank you for reading.**

 **Until next time.**


	2. March 12, 20XX

**Please enjoy. Though be warned, from now on every chapter title is going to include a horrible pun.**

* * *

 **Chapter I:** Entrance Sax-am I

* * *

A lot could change in the span of five months. Becoming adept at combat, was something that didn't happen to a lot of people. Even then, becoming adept at general form of fighting and becoming experienced at fighting all together was different.

And Sakuso lacked experience. His physical prowess was limited to only these robo-droids.

A lot of the people here seemed experienced in fighting people.

His back hardened like metal, a bronze arm quickly shooting out of it and grabbing a robot by it's faceplate. Another arm, brass with the knuckles capped silver, lurched forward, cleaving the robot's head off.

Sakuso looked at his arm, his shirt loosely hanging around his neck. He was fine, which was good! The written exam had been more difficult than he had imagined, but at least the English portion when it came to rescuing and dealing with foreign villains came naturally.

But being fine during this meant he wasn't working hard enough.

He directed his attention to his arm,the normally feeling of skin and not metal coming back to it. His special move came out slow, too slow in fact, and even then it was nowhere near the power of his father's.

He sucked in a quick breath, taking two big strides before sprinting down the street.

 _Ten points._

The number did nothing but leave his mouth and stomach sour. Sure, the exam had begun all of four minutes ago, and there were bound to be people doing worse than him, right?

Multiple red eyes glowered in his direction, intending to kill… or at most, maim.

To civilians, the sight would be horrifying, dread-inspiring.

But to Shinchu Sakuso, the new Top Brass, it was sweet relief.

He spun on the balls of his feet, his right leg becoming a flexible brass until he reached the peak of his jump. The iron chain on his necklace provided the extra oomph he needed, his foot bringing the `3P` robot down in a heap of scrap.

"Joplin Jam!" pavement cracked under his feet, but his hand turned to brass, a sword of horns and trumpets forming in his hand. He flourished the weapon, though it wasn't made for striking.

He twirled his palm, the mouthpiece hidden beneath the handle. He puffed his chest out, sucking a deep breath before blowing into the mouthpiece. The various robots stood still, as if confused, which was enough for him.

His left arm encased itself in brass, slowly amassing a form of various instruments until it resembled a giant arm and fist. It was heavy, but he braced himself by turning his legs to iron, twisting his upper body to slam the robots against a nearby building.

"Satchmo Strongarm!" Sakuso wheezed, his body returning to his regular state. His lungs screamed for respite, his breath coming out in short, airy gasps. He was long from finished, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.

His arms and legs hurt, the strain on them from shifting between different metals and weights prevalent. He changed his hand to brass, only to grit his teeth in frustration as he saw it grow pale, as if it were porcelain.

The sound of sawblades whizzed in his ears, and on instinct he turned, a white brass hand falling apart on impact.

It hurt.

He grit his teeth, a wild glint in his eyes as his regular hand brought the bot down onto the concrete. He raised his hand, but acid corroded the robot before he could bring it back down upon it.

Pink skin flashed before him, the girl gliding along the street with ease.

"Fuck," he swore, clutching his hand. Sweat dripped into his eye, but he didn't rub it to prevent his hand from getting infected. It was cracked raw, blood dribbling from small wounds here and there.

Not only had he gotten robbed of three points, but now victory seemed to be farther and farther away. He glanced at the scrap heap lined against the wall.

It was a group of five `3P` robots.

 _Twenty-five is a safe number_ , he thought, licking one of the open cracks on his hand.. _But twenty-eight is secure. I couldn't even steal a glance at the person that took three of my points. Dammit._

Critical thinking was becoming of a detective's son, and few things could disturb him from his incessant ramblings.

The heavens ringing, and the earth quaking, were on different scales, however. He turned his legs to bronze, his control on the flexibility of the metal slipping. He stood erect and at attention, waiting for the shaking to stop traveling up his body.

Fear quaked through him, his legs quickly returning back to normal once a foot sank into the pavement.

He tore his foot free, sucking in a sharp breath at the sudden snapping pain before hobbling forward.

The controlled chaos of the entrance exam was evident. Grape shaped balls stuck robots to the ground or against walls. There were cracks in the pavement, as well as in the brick or ironwork of buildings. The smell of heavy smoke and ash was in the air, and even the smell of corroded metal tickled his nose.

If he played his cards right, April was when school started for him. His Hero Academia.

If he played them wrong… however, he was out of luck, _shit out of luck_ to be exact.

The ground shook beneath him again, demanding his attention as the Robo-Inferno roared. He took careful precautions to make sure Eijirou didn't see him here, even moreso when he saw him discuss with someone that he was in Mock City C.

Mock City A, on the other hand, was home free.

He crossed the white line deigning safety, collapsing onto the ground a sweaty mess. But there was no respite after this. Recovery Girl would heal the injured, which he was sure he was, but afterwards came the exhaustion.

Riding down the Aoyama-Itchome station after walking a couple of blocks didn't sound great. Not to mention that he promised Eijirou that after the entrance exam, they could hang out.

God damn it, curse Eijirou and his warm friendship.

"H… Has anyone seen my friend?" someone asked. Sakuso's eyes cracked open, but the intense sunlight forced them shut again. Their friend would be fine.

"Is that… them, being chased by the robo-inferno?"

Sakuso's eyes cracked open, his body forcing him to peel his face off the pavement.

He was in trouble.

He stuck round, grapelike balls to the ground in futility, the robo-inferno trampling over them with ease. His feet tore out from under him, his body moving with newfound purpose.

 _People die when they're dead._

Brass tore from his back, the metal coming to life and flexing before shooting towards the short, purple-haired boy. If he could save him, if he could save anyone-

Then he would be doing his dad justice.

The brass peeled, the color falling off in flakes as he grabbed hold of him. The arm snapped backwards, reeling the boy in before snapping off entirely. Sakuso crouched low, grabbing him by his arm before bringing him behind the white line.

"Is-" Sakuso tried, but bile crept up his throat. His skin felt hot, his throat demanding water and rest. His stomach was sour, and if he didn't eat soon he'd be damn near a dead man.

"Mineta! Thought I'd never live to see your perverted ass again," the boy spoke. "You're really qualified, man! And that thing you do is so cool!"

"Yeah," Mineta said. "You really saved my bacon."

"Just take me to Recovery Girl," Sakuso pleaded, wiping the rubble away from his cracked hand. His back hurt too, whether it was from the weight or blood was unknown. At least it didn't feel wet.

"Just… anything."

\- /KN/-

The smell of coffee usually didn't solve a lot of problems. It did, however, soothe his mind. His hand and back were tapped up, the latter being hidden by his shirt and the blue jacket that hung loosely from his shoulders.

The booth was comfortable at least, and being able to kick your shoes off in an establishment like this was rare. But, evening meant less customers.

"Yo Sak-chan, you won't believe this!" Kirishima beamed. Sakuso smiled, his hand wrapped around a coffee mug. Kirishima was the kind of person that left happiness wherever he went, and him being fine with the confines of Cafe Lupin made hiding everything much easier.

"What happened?"

"This guy during the exam leapt at least thirty stories into the air before smashing a robo-inferno's face in! It was the manliest thing I've ever seen in my life!"

 _What._

"I… beg your pardon?" Sakuso asked.

"C'mon man, you know I don't understand English." Kirishima said. "But seriously, his power was incredible - he destroyed the one thing everyone was running from in one fell swoop! It was incredible."

 _What the-_

"And he leapt that high into the air? Was he alright?"

"Aside from a couple of broken bones healed by Recovery Girl, he's fine. I walked with him for a bit until we split."

"Fuck." Sakuso cursed in English.

"Fakku?" Kirishima asked.

"Watch your tongue," Shinchu-san said, leaning over the counter. "The both of you."

"Dad, you hearin' this? He leapt thirty stories into the air and destroyed the robot in one punch. You can't tell me that doesn't warrant a-"

"One Punch?" Shinchu-san said. "That reminds me of an anime way beyond our time… something that my grandfather had watched."

"I can't understand English," Kirishima said. "Could we go back to Japanese?"

"One moment," Sakuso said in Japanese. He turned to Kirishima, "Sorry. Just… I'm surprised, impressed, and shocked all at once is all."

Kirishima chuckled. "I feel the same way about your dad's cooking. This Filet Mignon is the manliest thing I've eaten in my life."

"Dad," Sakuso said in English.

"Here we go again," Kirishima muttered.

"Was there anything like this in America?"

"Nope," Shinchu-san said, popping the `p` for emphasis. "The most I've done in America is apprehend criminals in California, have a day of beach volleyball in Santa Monica, and _defeat a criminal organization hellbent on using a young girl's innate dangerous quirk and her penchant for murder._ "

"What was that last part?"

"Beach volleyball."

"Oh boy, I totally understand what's going on." Kirishima said.

"Oh stop it," Sakuso said, grabbing a sugar cube. He flicked it towards Kirishima, the dark-haired boy catching it in his mouth. "Impressive. Maybe you'll be able to weave a villain's punches like that."

"Maybe," Kirishima said, chewing on the sugar cube. "Though… guess another interesting tidbit I've heard today?"

"Hm?" Sakuso said. "Was it about the woman in Tokyo that drowned during a bukake scene?"

"What? That doesn't even have correlation to the other thing I said…"

"It is indeed an interesting tidbit though."

"No… but guess who I heard about? Some guy that apparently used bronze, iron, and brass, along with the ability to manipulate, shape, and form them. He was apparently really cool too, saving some kid being chased by the robo-inferno."

"Eh," Sakuso waved his hand away. "Similar quirks come in droves. Your hardening is kind of a basic-esque transformation, yeah? In a sense, I could do something similar by using bronze, iron, silver, or brass. There's probably someone who's exactly like you but just using something like iron - weird, huh?"

"Don't jinx- that's besides the point," Kirishima said. "My point is, when did you decide to be a hero? And why did you not let me know?"

"Eh, I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, we're being heroes for different reasons, and maybe your thoughts aren't in alignment with mine."

"Just because we're heroes for different reasons doesn't mean you need to hide it from me. Unless you're doing it for a totally different reason."

 _And in a way, I am. Granted, this is a lot different from your run-of-the-mill reason. It's more of a… why I was recruited, sort of thing._

 _I could see why dad was so keen back then._

"You're doing it because it's genuinely what you believe is right for the world, right? I'm… I'm doing it to uphold a family tradition. I want to be the kind of person that follows their own sense of justice."

"Then we're not too vastly different," Kirishima said. "Besides, you're still helping people at the end of a day. You're a total good-for-nothing!"

"Good-for… oh. I'm a hero, for nothing?"

"Yeah. You do it to follow your own sense of justice! That's pretty manly, right?"

 _I guess,_ Sakuso thought. "But that's… you're right. You know, I was worried that the `Russian Takoyaki` might've scrambled your brain. Maybe the red dye should've changed the color of your hair. At least we would've known it went out instead of setting in."

Kirishima tapped his chin with a finger. "Honestly… that's pretty genius. I know what I'm doing tomorrow."

"W-wait, it's a joke!"

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Another chapter, with a relatively large time skip. Granted the first one was a prologue, and this was the introductory chapter.**

 **A year ago, the pacing for this would've been incredibly quick, with the next chapter being the first day of school and the quirk apprehension arc all condensed into one chapter.**

 **But I've long-since stopped doing that. Doing these at my own pace are a lot more satisfying, exploring a world filled with interesting characters seems a lot more interesting. Even then, I've made sure to keep the pacing constant.**

 **Akin to Persona 5, there's the week or every few days, and then that special important event that happens in the week, following the cooldown & events afterwards.**

 **Speaking of Persona 5, it's an excellent game that I truly recommend. I love it to bits.**

 **Carrying on, the pacing for this will be between normal & slow. I won't rush or head into things immediately, it's the **_**nearly**_ **-daily life of a Japanese-Hawaiian-African-American. Sometimes chapters will consist of just school comments and events happening in the evening.**

 **Others will be the exciting action stuff, that continues with the main story.**

 **And as for this being simply a direct retelling of the main-story?**

 **Yes & No.**

 **It follows the main plot, but this isn't how Shinchu Sakuso became the best hero or detective in the world. It's his daily life until graduation, and more.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Until next time.**


	3. April 8, 20XX

**I'm glad that some of you have found interest within this story.**

 **Please enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter II:** Tokyo Daylight

* * *

The air in Shibuya was warm, a gentle breeze passing by every now and then. Sakuso was grateful - it was optimal weather for a day of activities. Central Street was bustling, people diving into the bookstores, the arcade, or even the movie theater.

 _And here I am, eating at a Mg Ronald's_ , Sakuso thought, taking a bite of a fry. He wasn't quite sure how Kirishima managed to wrap him up in another one of his elaborate schemes, but he had definitely gone along with it.

"You know," Sakuso said, taking a bite out of another fry. "This much sodium, and the calories this… pile of fries have will make you sick, yeah?"

"Ultimate bravery," Kirishima mumbled, taking a bite of his oversized burger.

Granted, they were potentially heroes-in-training. They worked harder than the average civilian, and had all the practice, poise, and training to boot.

"You can't use ultimate bravery as an excuse for when you want to eat fast food. You can literally just show up and say, `Hey, Sakki, we're gonna go eat fast food in Shibuya. Get dressed.` and I'd be prepared."

"Really?" Kirishima asked.

"You're the best friend someone could ask for. As long as you need or want to do something, I'm good for it."

I took a bite out of my burger, only for a hand to slap my back, sending clumps of nearly unchewed food down my throat. I grabbed my drink in desperation, the taste of cola assaulting my buds before making the food easier to swallow.

"What the hell, Eiji?" I asked.

"Sorry… just, you saying that made my heart swell."

"What are you surprised for? You'd do the same for me."

"Yeah, but usually you're kind of… emotionally distant. You saying something that kind is rare," Kirishima said, patting his stomach. "I had to make sure that was the actual you, and not someone with a cloning quirk, y'know?"

"So, what's the plan for today? Application letters are to be sent soon, and truthfully… I doubt I got in," I said, going back to chewing fries.

"Don't think negatively before the match has been won," Kirishima said.

"Yeah, but to be fair, I've seen what the people trained better in combat can do. I've heard someone in Mock City B came in first by racking up seventy-six points. I only scored twenty-five."

"Let's not forget the written test," Kirishima said. "Stop thinking of the bad before the good got a chance to happen."

 _Goddamnit._

"What're you making that face for? It's kinda scary."

"Sorry, just not used to strong sunlight directly in front of me."

"Besides," Kirishima said, picking a piece of food out of his teeth. "I bought some stuff to dye my hair red. I thought about it for a while, even slept on the idea, but I still want to do it."

"It was a joke."

"Yeah, I understand. But I've realized that the kind of hero I want to be is like Crimson Riot. He was the kind of hero that didn't waver in the face of villains, and worked incredibly hard despite not having incredibly lucky powers. It'd be a cool homage, don't you think?"

"Well when you put it that way, I guess it's not so bad after all."

"Nah," he said, reaching for some fries. "Now hurry up and eat, we're burning daylight."

\- /KN/-

"How does it look?"

Sakuso stifled a laugh with the back of his hand. He… couldn't be honest about that. On one hand, it was weird to see Kirishima with red hair, let alone _spiky_ red hair. Though, it strangely suited him and his motif. Almost as if it belonged to be that way.

"Your giggling isn't helping me," Kirishima said, sighing.

"It's fine," Sakuso said. "It's fitting, actually. Though I can only hope it doesn't inspire a bad nickname."

"Whatever," Kirishima said, waving the topic away. "You brought your Hero Costume forms, right? Wanna work on them together?"

"You want me to give you an opinion on whether or not your costume is good enough?"

"That's not what I meant."

"But it was what you were _thinking._ "

"Just get your papers out," Kirishima sighed. "I've already filled and handled most of the forms on mine. Just wanted your take on the matter."

Sakuso took the papers out of his hand, inspecting them carefully. The name and address was handled, followed by the doctor's approval and his measurements. His costume was a bit lacking - he was shirtless, with only the kind of garment he's seen monks use to cover their legs with added pants. Even then, having the utility belts around his arms didn't seem to be important.

But Kirishima's gaze was earnest, expectant of a well-constructed and honest answer. To summarize it as not being great was coarse, and besides, he didn't want to put a damper on his friend's mood like that.

Besides, just because he had asked for his opinion on the costume didn't mean he knew how the purpose of it at all. Kirishima was the kind of person that didn't plan ahead, but simply planned for when the event called for it. Those utility belts could save a life someday.

"It's… it's perfect," Sakuso said, nodding. "If it's exactly what you're looking for, I think the design, style, and the freedom it allows you to use your quirk suits you perfectly. I'm glad you came up with such a design on your own."

"Thanks, bro!" Kirishima pumped a fist victoriously, taking back his papers. "Now let's see yours!"

Sakuso grabbed them from his bookbag, laying them on the table in front of Kirishima. The pictures were detailed, clear indications of what he had wanted and exactly why he thought they were necessary.

"Uh, Sak-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"These… all look like street clothes."

Maybe they were… _unbefitting_ of a hero, but they still worked!

"Yeah, but better for blending in, right?"

"You kind of look like you're more into the fashion aspect of it than your hero capabilities. Granted, I think it's genius to have the small metal bands on the insides of your white gloves for different colors."

Sakuso smiled to himself. _Of course._

"Though, aside from that, wouldn't wearing some of this stuff mostly get in your way? Granted, are you going to be one of the heroes that strip their clothes during combat?"

"I-uh… kinda?"

"So to be concise, you're practically going to be a Male Midnight that strips instead of tearing at your costume." Kirishima said, nodding his head sagely.

"That has absolutely zero correlation to what I've said before."

"Oh," Kirishima said, his gaze frighteningly sharp. "I wonder where I've heard that from."

"A-Are you still made about the whole English thing? Y'know, from yesterday?"

"My dear friend, whatever could you mean?"

Sakuso could only stare in a mix of horror and curiosity. Kirishima being this sharp and cutting wasn't something he was used to, and strangely enough, it was almost kind of terrifying. His friend met his gaze, only to jab him in the side a second later.

"Nah, I'm just screwing with you bro. You're fine."

 _Am I even, really?_

"But besides that," Kirishima said, going on as if nothing happened. "It's a solid costume. I'm impressed with your work and overall style. It looks maneuverable and comfortable to fight in."

"Thanks," Sakuso said. "I asked Akitagawa-kun to draw it for me.

"I figured you were no artist."

"Oh me? Hell yeah. I couldn't draw a cloud if you asked me to."

"Well, we should turn these in at the very least, yeah? It's… three o'clock right now. If we take the train back to Shibuya, we can ride the Tatooine Line to Musutafu, and… though that'll take almost an hour, we can probably book it to U.A to turn these in."

Sakuso slipped his jacket back on, the forms neatly placed away in his bag. Slinging it on his shoulder, he turned to Kirishima, "Let's do this."

\- /KN/-

"Well," Sakuso said, turning to Kirishima. "At least we weren't the only two that decided to turn in their forms a bit late."

"Mmh."

"I mean, makes me feel like it's less about being irresponsible and more of a teenage thing, right?"

"Watch your step," Kirishima said.

"This is the most alive I've-" Sakuso said, only to tumble over.

"This is what I tried to warn you about," Kirishima sighed.

Sakuso inhaled, the scent of strawberries tickling his nose. His hand ran over his forehead, the throbbing pain leading him to a new cut.

"Could you get off of me?!" the voice commanded, throwing him aside. Saksuo fell on his back, the girl he knocked down going through her bag. She checked the contents of it, humming contently to herself before looming over him.

"Do you have any idea of the kind of damage you nearly caused?" she asked, hands on her hips. Her backpack was slung across her shoulders, a scowl on her face. "You nearly ruined my super cute babies!"

 _Wow,_ Sakuso thought. _She's really cute._

"Are you not going to explain yourself?" she asked, cracking her knuckles. She pulled a band off of her arm, tying her pink, banana-like hair back. "Would you prefer to explain it with my fists to your face?"

"I-um," Sakuso began. "I didn't-"

"You didn't mean to," she finished. "Oh, because you were in such a rush, that it was fine to run me over, right?"

Kirishima imitated the sound of a whip being cracked.

"I'm sorry," Sakuso said.

" _Sorry?_ " she said. "Sorry that you nearly sent me back a year into development? I'm sorry, but are you capable of turning yourself into some sort of multi-tool? Do you think the equipment I use is easy come by?"

"He said he was sorry man," Kirishima said, rubbing the back of his head. "You can lay off."

"Actually," Sakuso said, picking himself up. He readjusted his fake glasses, a hand combing through his frizzy hair. "I can take on the properties of what I'm touching, and mold it into a shape."

He held his hand out, his ring finger matching the color of the brass band he wore. He changed it into a flat-head screwdriver, then a phillip's head, before changing it to something entirely different - a hammer.

"It's nothing impressive," Sakuso said. "But if there's a way I can pay you back for the potential damage, just… let me know, okay?"

Kirishima imitated the sound of a whip being cracked again.

"I doubt you could pay me back," the girl said, coldly. "But I'll keep that in mind. See you in the halls."

"Yeah," Sakuso said, sighing in relief. "Be seeing you."

There was a pause, Sakuso just stared forward. Every so often his eyes drifted to the girl's rear - it was a peach, in shape. Part of him wondered how it felt.

The other part snuffed that out before it got the chance to grow.

"C'mon," Kirishima said, pulling him back on his feet. "Let's put these in the drop-off point and carry on home."

"Put what?" Sakuso asked.

"The papers."

"Oh… right."

"Did she actually distract you that much? Talk about weak-willed."

"As if!"

"Poor, tall Sakuso. You're 182cm tall falling for someone way shorter than you."

"You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about."

Sakuso slipped the papers into the mailbox, nudging Kirishima to inspire him to move. "This is where we split."

"Yeah," his friend turned to him, smiling victoriously. "But Saturday is when we know if we're going to U.A or not! What are your plans after school?"

"I was thinking of going to the Underground Mall to do some shopping before work."

"Really? You still work at 7-Eleven?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Sakuso sighed. "Yeah…"

"Well, are you going to go now? Today's still a working day, right?"

"Nah. They gave me the day off because of yesterday's Entrance Exam. Minami is there though. We can go pester her?"

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Nothing really to say here, other than thanks for reading. Also, I guess I could acknowledge that this chapter is indeed filler, but like I said, it's not an exact retelling of just the canon story. I want to take the time to explore the world Kohei Horikoshi had built for My Hero Academia.**

 **As such, things happen at their own pace. I won't launch a chapter as if it were the first day of school/quirk apprehension test, and then the next chapter mention a time-skip and jump into the unforeseen simulation joint arc. I'll try to allow things to progress as they come, than rush through it all.**

 **I hope to write a story that only gets better from here. Thank you for reading.**

 **Until next time.**


	4. April 10, 20XX

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter III:** Hero Academia Days

* * *

"I just keep having this doubt - as if, maybe I'm not good enough to even consider it! I mean, I know you don't care much for heroics and all, but when I see people like Mina… people capable of jumping in without fear, and I compare them to me… it's easy to see just how different we are. The chivalrous hero Crimson Riot once said, ` _As long as you've got a manly spirit, then quirks don't count for nothing,`_ but it's hard to even… pretend I believe that."

The boy stared at his friend in disbelief, a wild look in his eye. He laughed, not at his friend, or at his plight, but because he thought it was impossible for him to not believe in himself. It was strange, really - someone who stepped in on others' behalves and willing to even stop an underclassmen from being harassed, having doubts on their capabilities?

"Eiji," he said, his voice crisp - sharp. "You're doubting yourself because of things that cannot be helped. You've trained yourself by hitting yourself with blunt objects to improve your hardening. You've stepped in on the behalf of an underclassmen being pressured by his seniors. When faced with a real threat, even if you didn't lurch forward to protect them so carelessly. You thought about it, considering the size of a guy and how he nearly dropped heaps of rubble onto two Junior High girls. Sure, Mina is… impressive, in a multitude of ways."

He paused, a grin on his face. "But besides that, even with all of that, you're still you. Sure, she's flashy, sociable, and has a strong quirk. But with all of that, you would still be you. Having a quirk like her wouldn't make you Kirishima Eijirou. If your ambitions are high, soar towards them. Scale any wall and overcome any mountain pass. I don't want to be a hero for a multitude of reasons - my dad, for example. He's never around… granted, my mom is guilty of the same thing, and I know he's just watching out for her in California. But I couldn't do that to my family."

"You're missing the bigger picture," Kirishima said. It wasn't exactly a snap, but it clipped like one, forcing the other boy to reel back. "It's not even that. I can't call myself a man or anything else if my heart isn't up to snuff. There was a middle schooler that resisted a sludge-villain to save his friend right before All Might jumped in. Don't tell me that it wouldn't be easier if I had a stronger quirk. It'll be damn near impossible for me to do anything."

"Really?" he retorted, staring at Kirishima as a surgeon would a patient. "What are you going to do then? Apply to Doraido Technical? Join the rest of your normie friends when you could continue towards your aspirations? Confidence comes from within the heart - if you're not confident in your abilities, I'll be."

He sighed, kicking his feet up on the counter. It was his apartment after all - living like you owned the place was definitely something he could do. "Take it this way. My quirk is kind of similar to yours, 'innit? I can take on the properties of metal, and then I can make them malleable, making me harder or softer. While I can't exactly harden solely my skin, I can harden it after I take something on. Yeah, I guess me being able to stretch and shape the metal is impressive too… but at the end of the day, I don't want to be a hero. My quirk isn't incredibly flashy, and it isn't something that heeds `with great power, comes great responsibility.` The fact of the matter is, you can only believe in you. If you're serious about U.A-"

He took a sip of water from his glass, rubbing at his dry throat. "Then _fucking_ act like it. You're the only one in control of your fate - if you want to change it, do it."

"But I can't."

"Yet you will. You always do."

\- /KN/-

"Sakuso," Shinchu-san said, fiddling with a pot of coffee. "You have a letter. It's from U.A."

 _Neat,_ Sakuso thought, tying his apron around his back. The sleeves of his summer Junior High uniform were rolled up, ring finger taking on the properties of the silver band. His finger grew flat and sharp, as if it were a blade.

Using quirks publicly were illegal, but was someone really going to arrest him over a letter opener?

Probably not.

The small holo-player came out, and Present Mic had appeared on the virtual screen.

"Well hello there, Sakuso!" Holo-Mic said, "Or should I say, little chickling? The judges have casted their vote, and with great joy in my heart I'm glad to announce that this April 14th, you will be a student of U.A High! While we are glad to give you this admission, please know it came at a price. Your score had tied up perfectly with another student, though she declared that she'd rather join the support course than the hero course. Why, she even came to speak to us about it privately. Roll the clip!"

The holo-player switched cameras, focused on what was on the screen behind Present Mic. A girl with pink, banana-like hair stumbled into the classroom, a look of concern on her face. Her goggles hid her eyes, and from the bandanna loosely hanging around her neck, you'd nearly miss the oil smudge on her cheek.

"Oh," Sakuso said. "It's the cute, angry girl from a few days ago."

Shinchu-san recoiled a bit, surprised with his son's words. "You think girls are cute?"

"Mmh," he said, disinterested. "What, you thought I was gay or something? I'm progressive, if anything."

"I didn't think you were gay," Shinchu-san said. "I just thought you were disinterested in females. You always seem enthralled with those virtual, unreal girls in those books and anime of yours. Thought you had fell victim to the moe plague or something."

Sakuso shrugged. "Nah. I've just never been one to overtly comment on it or something. I thought racoon eyes was cute at one point too. I still think she is, but Kirishima's self-worth was invalidated by her once. Not on purpose either, but - wait, I'm getting offtrack."

"And thus, there you have it." Present Mic said, clapping his hands together. "Thank you for your time, Hatsume-kun."

"Hatsume," Sakuso said, testing the word.

"So, you're in. You had a score of twenty-five villain points, and thirty-five hero rescue points. I'm proud of you." Shinchu-san said.

And to an extent, Sakuso was proud of himself too. His chest puffed up with pride. The other half, however, wasn't doubt.

It was lament.

He was practically one who had everything - both parents, a stable home, and a hero for a father. There was a chance he very well stole the position from someone else - someone more deserving. But Hatsume had willingly given up her spot in the hero courses to focus on support, hadn't she?

And she did seem to have a fondness for tinkering...

"There's a few weeks until April 14th," Sakuso said. "Though I guess it's a bit of an abrupt start. You think we could up the ante in training? I feel like limiting myself to the idea of shaping just my arms and legs is holding me back. On top of that, are we sure it's just metals? I know they might be the easiest, but what if I could take on the properties of organic matter too? I want to try."

"Alright," Shinchu-san said in English. "Let's get to it."

\- /KN/-

Sakuso wasn't quite sure how he expected this to go. When he said he wanted to train, he didn't mean during the early morning hours. The air was crisp and sharp, and despite that his dad still suggested they go without jackets. Something about his coach making him run laps in eight degrees celsius weather.

"Come on," Shinchu-san said, stretching his large brass arms. His hat and jacket were laid on a bench, the quiet park providing a great space to train early. "We're going to go at one-hundred percent today."

Sakuso nodded, pulling his surgical mask over his face. "Right!"

He put some space between him and his father, sticking his hand out. His arm took on the properties of brass, matching the color of the band on his ring finger.

"Impressive. You can do that substantially quicker than usual." his dad noted.

Sakuso reeled his arm back, swinging forward before letting it fly like a whip. His dad, despite his large stature, was still agile, jumping over it while spinning in the air. Sakuso pulled his arm back, his hand sharpening as if it were a dull knife.

His dad caught it, inspecting it carefully. "I appreciate you for trying not to cut me."

"There's only one life you have to live," Sakuso said. "I'll be damned if it's not with me and mom because of my own making."

"I see," Shinchu-san said, nodding. "I'll keep not dying in mind. Besides that, I'm actually impressed with your whiplike technique. Is there anything else you've come up with?"

"I've actually stolen one of your techniques," Sakuso said. "That thing where you layer instruments over your arms and knock someone's lights out. That's what I've been twisting into my special move. I can only do it with one arm, but because I can make it malleable I make the brass and the instruments a lot denser."

"Impressive. You got a name for it yet?"

Sakuso blushed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "You sure? It's kinda lame."

"Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine. As long as it's not something like… I don't know, Satchmo Strongarm or something-"

His dad's grin turned shit eating as his son hid his face between his hands. "It's totally Satchmo Strongarm, isn't it?"

"I think it's cool, okay?"

"How many more of your moves are named after jazz musicians?"

"All of them," Sakuso mumbled.

"What was that?"

"All of them."

His dad laughed, wrapping his son up in a hug. "It's fine, I actually think they're pretty creative. I'd rather you be a jazz otaku than like that weird fuck that killed little girls."

"That's like, way beyond our time."

"I know," Shinchu-san said. "Trust me, my grandfather wasn't even born when it happened. He had been a baby around thirty plus years since it happened."

"Anyway, could we get back to the task at hand?"

"Of course."

\- /KN/-

Hatsume Mei sat at her desk, a myriad of complicated blueprints and metal on her wall and the floor. The idiot that had the gall to go and nearly crush her babies was the one she ended up giving her hero course spot for - though she only needed it in case she couldn't leverage her way into the Support Course.

Besides, he as good as promised to help her.

Why was she even focused on him anyway? She had projects to finish, ideas to pitch. She didn't have the time to bother with some goofus with stupid glasses and frizzy hair.

"Don't forget," she muttered to herself.

Goofus would help alright.

"You promised."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Bit of a chapter with lots of splits. Nothing else really to say.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
